


The Road to Redemption

by Melethril



Series: AU - Tony Stark, Consultant [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternative Backstory for Thor and Loki, BAMF Loki, Gen, Genius Tony Stark, Good!Loki, Iron Man 1 & 2 compliant, Tony Stark Appreciation, alternative universe, not Avengers compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-21 02:24:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10675737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melethril/pseuds/Melethril
Summary: Alternative Universe where Tony never became part of the Avengers and remained a consultant for a long period of time. Loki is greatly amused by his brother's story about the Dwarves' first visit. The conversation quickly turns serious, though.Immediately after "Of Warriors, Healers, Leaders, the Wise and Builders"Second Installment of the 'AU - Tony Stark, Consultant' Series,





	The Road to Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> Key Notes for the AU (Series is called 'AU - Tony Stark, Consultant'):
> 
> Iron Man 1 & 2 happened like seen in the movies. Tony is a consultant.
> 
> Thor happened differently. This is a good!Loki AU (though he is not a major character):  
> Loki was not manipulated by Odin; he knows he’s adopted; he knows he’s Jotun – Thor was always protective of his brother because of it; Loki is ambassador of Alfheim, Vanaheim and the contact to Jotunheim (unlike shown in Thor, Loki was not abandoned by the Jotun; as a baby/child he already promised to be a powerful sorcerer, he was revered for it; to end the fight - the Jotun agreed to have him raised in Asgard). Thor was banished to Earth for provoking the elves of Svartalfheim – he has his transformation and establishes contact to Earth.
> 
> The Chitauri attack happened but was led by the Other to gather the Tesseract. Thor comes to Earth, the Avengers assemble:  
> \- Steve Rogers (Captain America)  
> \- Natasha Romanova (Black Widow)  
> \- Bruce Banner (Hulk)  
> \- Thor (Thor) and the Warrior Three  
> \- Clint Barton (Hawkeye)  
> Tony was some sort of last line of defense (kept the helicarrier in the air) because it threatens to come down after the first wave of attack.
> 
> SHIELD is not HYDRA.
> 
> Sokovia happened differently (no Ultron): Wanda still joined HYDRA with Pietro; when the base was attacked, they pretend to be prisoners and Steve immediately welcomed them. They originally intended to back-stab but first Pietro then Wanda have a change of heart (Wanda sees Hydra’s true face through Bucky's and Steve's memories) and join the Avengers. They do not like Tony, though, especially Wanda.
> 
> The Winter Soldier did not kill Tony’s family (it was a normal car accident). They find Bucky and he's currently treated with the BARF technology.

Karli, daughter of Kalina, the Queen’s personal servant, left the princes’ quarters with a smile on her lips. It was rare to hear Prince Loki laugh so freely and without reserve. It was a cackle of pure glee. She did wonder what it was about.

* * *

 

“Oh, to have been there!” laughed Loki, breathless. He had laughed until his stomach started to hurt. “This is brilliant! Brother, tell me, please, I beg you, describe the Scarlet Woman’s face when she heard about this.”

Thor frowned, “It is Scarlet Witch, brother, and I fail to see why this would amuse you so much.”

Loki, his eyes still bright from amusement, started to take on a much more dangerous gleam, “She is not nearly advanced enough to be called a witch or a sorceress. The mages of Vanir and the royal family of Alfheim would crucify me if I did. Why would it not amuse me to see her misplaced fury?”

“She has done you no harm.”

All amusement was drained from Loki’s face.

“She was willingly part of what you called Midgard’s most powerful homebred foe. She deceived you and was willing to backstab you for over a month until she had a change of heart and realized that your cause was better than the cause of your foe. She would have killed you, brother, you may be willing to forgive and forget, but I am not. I would gladly skin her alive before I burn her inner organs if only she gave me the slightest reason. Had she killed you, she would have wished for banishment in Helheim.”

“Loki…”

“As for my amusement,” Loki continued, unwilling to discuss the matter. “Please, brother, surely you realize how much your Shield Brothers and Sisters take Tony Stark for granted. Only the people of Nidavellir could truly appreciate the man’s innovation, of course, but Midgard nearly rivals Asgard in how we take true originality as a given right.”

“You don’t even like Stark!”

Loki just rolled his eyes, “He does not stand for ceremony so neither will I. If he does not censure his words, then I refuse to do so as well. I have debated at the royal court of the elves from the Great Wood. I will not be bested by a Midgardian who has not yet lived half a century.”

Thor’s eyes widened, “You respect him.”

“Do you know how rare it is to discuss with one as young as Stark in possession of a mind as bright as his? I know, I know,” he said at his brother’s attempt to protest, “he is grown for one of Midgard, but his mind is so much more complex than that of a Midgardian. No wonder the dwarves heard the walls’ praises of him. No wonder he clashes with the majority of people he meets. He’s like a beacon of fire. Get too close to him and you get burnt.” He stopped, thought for a moment and tried a different approach. “I adore your Lady Jane, Dr. Foster, she is strong, capable and has the mind to understand the complexities of the universe. That is unparalleled. I respect and fear your Shield Brother, Dr. Banner, for his understanding and his rage. I envy Stark.”

“Why?” Thor was perplexed. “You said he had no talent for magic. He himself admits that Dr. Banner is smarter than him and he looked as gleeful as a child when Lady Jane talked to him about her knowledge of the Bifrost. He almost begged her to see her notes. Therefore, you cannot envy his brain.”

“Dr. Foster has had her hardships but not true tragedy. She is… innocent, in a way. Dr. Banner has seen the atrocities of humanity and the anger within his own soul over it. His mind created his greatest fear therefore he no longer trusts himself or the divine gift that is his mind. Stark… he has been at the very top and the very bottom and climbed every step in between. He rebuilt himself when most would shatter with his mind still unchained. He saw the damage his negligence had caused but instead of letting the guilt cripple him, he stood up and made himself into a hero. The man he had viewed as a second father betrayed and nearly killed him, and yet, Stark did not let that embitter him either but instead put all his focus on a better future. I envy him because if the Allfather had betrayed me like this, no realm would be safe from my wrath.”

Silence followed that quiet, little speech.

“You speak so highly of the Scarlet Woman, brother, speaking of a road to redemption. She did not even have to walk the path. Instead, your Captain held out his hand and you all welcomed her with open arms carrying her and her brother down a very bright and colorful road. Stark crawled down an unpaved path covered in glass cutting open his legs and bare feet while the sun mercilessly burns his skin as the wind carries sand in his face so he can neither see nor breathe. He finally saw a saving haven and went there only to be pushed away by those that call themselves heroes. Take head, brother, for I fear if you are not careful, Stark will take the invitation to Nidavellir, and he will not return. The only reason he did not go with them was his loyalty to a company that wishes for another heir of Howard Stark.”

Thor shivered. Loki was not a natural seer, but occasionally he had what he called ‘intuitions’. Unlike most, he remembered all that was said while the words went beyond what he consciously knew.

“I must return to Midgard.”

Loki nodded displaying that slight sense of disorientation he usually felt after these moments.


End file.
